Allpop Interview with Brian and Leighanne
Date: November 8, 2001
Source: AllPop / Backstreet.net
Backstreet Boys star Brian Littrell and his actress wife Leighanne have braved online hate sites, deranged stalkers, and a relationship formed and cemented on tour. So for them, starting their own music label and entertainment production company, "BriLeigh Productions", probably seems as breezy as a chorus of "I Want It That Way".
The duo's first project is the soundtrack for the indie film "Olive Juice", which stars Leighanne.
"I personally think that the CD rocks," Leighanne says before leaving for Las Vegas for a Backstreet show. "I think that it's a little better than the film because we have so many different kinds of music and all the music we put on there is really good."
The soundtrack, which features music by the Backstreet Boys, a theme song penned by Brian and J. Michael, and several tunes by up-and-comers, is the first of many projects the couple hopes to collaborate on in their new company.
Although Leighanne says they've received "tons" of demos from wannabe music stars, both she and her husband insist they'll take their time in developing and nurturing new artists. Brian and his band-mates have been stung by money-hungry pop svengalis in the past, something he swears he'll never do.
"... because I've been an artist for so long, I know how artists feel," Brian says from his tour bus. "The only reason we created the record company was to create a good working environment for all people, for artists to come in and feel cared for and feel loved and feel respected. [The Backstreet Boys] have been through a lot of tough times in our career. Everybody knows that, and we just want to create a record company that people will love to work for."
For Leighanne (who manages to come off sounding unbelievably sweet but sincere and intelligent at the same time -- sorry, jealous BSB fans), the thought of nasty things being said about BriLeigh productions sounds like it would be her absolute worst nightmare.
"We want to start off pretty slow, one or two artists in first year," she says, "... just give the artists our full attention, to do it right, have a great reputation. We really care about how our company is perceived by the public and by the artists."
But creating a warm and fuzzy working environment is more than just some abstract plan that Backstreet's sentimental crooner and his wife daydream about. Brian actually has definite ideas about what he does and doesn't want to put his artists through.
"Record companies can be very stingy in a manner where, when they sign you to an agreement, they don't allow you to work with certain people," he says. "They have to give all the okays and they have to make all the final decisions, and that's frustrating to me because we've wanted to work with many different people, the Backstreet Boys ourselves. We've recorded a duet with Lionel Richie, a duet with Elton John, and a lot of people don't even know these things because we can't publicize them in a manner where our record company will allow us to. I would want my artists to be able to work with whoever they felt that they wanted to work with that they had the chance to. We're not looking to make a beaucoup amount of money, we're just lookin' to help other artists be successful and enjoy what they do."
Brian and Leighanne don't really need "beaucoup" amounts of money anyway because, after all, he is a Backstreet Boy. After spending eight-and-a-half years touring, promoting, and recording as a BSB star, Brian has come to a point in his life where he can take short breaks without worrying about slipping off the music radar or whether he's going to be able to pay the rent.
"It's been like six or seven straight years of working very hard to get where we're [the Backstreet Boys] to the point now [where] we can work for quite a while and then have some time off at home," he says.
Leighanne, who says Brian was a bit too busy with Backstreet to do as much with the "Olive Juice" soundtrack as he would have liked, acknowledges that life as a Backstreet wife can be tough. They're both on the move a lot, and if she's not shooting a movie, she's on tour with him.
"We've basically been touring since we've met," she says. "And he's been on tour since our honeymoon."
Now that Brian can afford to take breaks, the two can solidify their relationship outside of the touring world, and their production company is giving them the opportunity to work together creatively.
"It's fun because we know each other so well and we know what each other thinks," says Brian. "Sometimes we'll butt heads or disagree about certain things, but if I ever have any questions, I obviously don't hesitate at all or feel intimidated about my relationship with my wife, as opposed to our business relationships.
"We strive for the same things in life, and we have the same goals through our companies and individually as well, about having a family someday and moving forward with our lives in all different aspects."
Not everything is sappy and sweet for Brian and Leighanne. Being in the spotlight means more people notice you. Not all those people will be absolutely stable. Last year, the couple's dogs were kidnapped (but eventually found safely), and recently they've been slightly shaken by an overzealous fan.
"We had a stalker in Atlanta," says Leighanne, "and now we're going to change our whole security, our fences and our cameras ... she's 40 years old, a mother. She came on our property like four or five times. We had to call the police."
Like Backstreet star Nick Carter's ex-girlfriend Willa Ford, they've also been targeted by mean-spirited websites.
"There was this horrible thing going around with this hate fan club of the Backstreet Boys and saying that they want to kill them and kill their wives and stuff like that," she says. "That was over the Internet."
Before Backstreet fans reading this interview start thinking the group doesn't realize they have loyal, stable fans too, Leighanne quickly says that most of the reaction she and Brian have received as a couple has been positive.
"We have some really great fans," she says. "They gave us incredible wedding presents, really thoughtful, like quilts and afghans."
The Littrells hope that BriLeigh projects will meet with the approval of their thoughtful fans. In addition to the music side of their company, the couple also hopes to develop films and TV programs. Brian says he wouldn't mind working on a romantic comedy, which is the couple's favourite type of film, "things that are light-hearted, things that are family-oriented", he says.
Leighanne, meanwhile, admits that she'd love to have the opportunity to play a villain. "I think I could do a villain pretty easily," she laughs.
And although he does have a brief cameo in "Olive Juice", don't expect Brian to pull a Lance Bass and turn up in a starring role in a BriLeigh production
"It's really funny how anybody that acts wants to put a CD out and anybody who sings wants to be a movie star," he says. "I know I kind of stick with the things I would consider myself good at and that's the music side, and I hope people think that I have a little bit of talent in that. A lot of times you open yourself up to criticism that you really don't need."
Brian thinks he'll probably leave the acting to Leighanne and maybe score soundtracks for BriLeigh films.
At this point, Brian's cell phone begins to cut out as the Backstreet tour bus crosses the desert on the way to Las Vegas. After the show and promo stops in New York, he and Leighanne will have a bit of time to talk about music, artists, and their plans for BriLeigh before he heads back out on tour in Japan.